Deer hunters in Florida knew it was coming. The first case of CWD has finally made itself known. A road-killed deer in Holmes County was tested and confirmed to have CWD (chronic wasting disease).
This brings the number of states with confirmed cases of CWD to 31. The discovery prompted the state, as well as nearby states, to take action.
What's Next?
Following the confirmation of CWD in the state, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced an emergency order and actions to prevent the spread of CWD in north Florida.
At this point, the plan seems to consist of sampling additional deer to get a better grasp on the potential spread of CWD in the state.
“As part of the plan, the FWC will collect samples from specific established zones to further assess the spread of the disease,” FWC said in a news release. “The FWC has increased CWD monitoring and surveillance in the area and FDACS is prioritizing CWD testing from all samples collected from Holmes County.”
Response by Neighboring States
How are neighboring states responding to this latest discovery of CWD?
- The Alabama Department of Conversation and Natural Resources said in a statement that it will increase CWD sampling in the southeastern part of the state.
- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources issued a release saying that it will activate its CWD response protocol if it is detected in the state.
- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said it has halted the rehabilitation of white-tailed deer fawns, News Channel 5 Nashville reports.
